Overview Agriculture, livestock & fisheries Saba
Historically, agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry were economic pillars and a basis for food security on Saba. Island residents relied on crops grown on the slopes of Mt. Scenery using traditional terraced farming practices, daily catch sourced by local fisherman from the Saba bank, and livestock raised on the island. To this day, fruit trees and the remnants of old terraces can still be found along the hiking trails in the Mount Scenery National Park.
As the island’s economy grew and other sectors emerged, such as tourism and government services, many people shifted away from agriculture. Although agriculture is no longer an economic pillar, it remains an important part of Saban culture and identity. Many households continue to raise livestock – such as goats, pigs, and chickens – and grow fruit and vegetable crops as part of backyard farming practices. Fisheries remain an important economic sector with fish and lobster being exported to neighboring islands.
Given Saba’s vulnerability, the Public Entity Saba has started developing sustainable farming initiatives in recent years to improve the island’s food security. To reduce the island’s dependency on imports, climate-resilient farming practices, such as hydroponics, are being utilized alongside traditional farming that honors the island’s past. The Public Entity has carried out several initiatives aimed at promoting backyard farming and animal husbandry through the involvement of the local community. Future initiatives will aim to increase and diversify local production while strengthening preparedness for potential supply chain disruptions with a focus on circular practices.
Hell’s Gate Government Farm
The government-run Hell’s Gate farm, which started in 2016, focuses on crop production using the traditional terraced farming practices.
A variety of fruits and vegetables are grown on this farm, including bananas, pumpkin, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, sweet peppers and root crops, such potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and casava.
The produce from this farm is sold at a weekly market, making locally-produced food easily accessible for island residents.
Hydroponics Farm
The Public Entity’s hydroponics project, aptly named Saba Grows, is an innovative initiative aimed at boosting local food production to increase food security. The farm started with one greenhouse and has recently expanded with two new greenhouses.
The expansion and upscaling of the farm allows for the increase and diversification of hydroponics crops, such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pak choi, eggplant, sweet peppers and herbs.
There are plans to explore the addition of other crops. Built with resilience in mind, the greenhouses are designed to withstand storms and hurricanes, with movable hydroponic systems that can be sheltered in metal domes during stormy weather. The mission of Saba Grows’ is to enhance the island’s self-sufficiency and sustainability by ensuring access to fresh, nutritional produce even in challenging conditions.
Backyard Farming Initiatives
In recent years, the Public Entity has carried out several initiatives to promote backyard farming aimed improving the island’s food security and self-sufficiency by getting the community involved. It’s backyard farming project in particular enabled households to equipment and materials through subsidies, empowering them to grow their own food at home.
In addition to this, World Food Day celebrations saw the distribution of seeds and seedlings, as well as subsidized raised beds, making it easier for people to begin their own gardening efforts. The Public Entities has further supported community agricultural practices by making available seeding potatoes, enhancing crop variety and encouraging homegrown food production.
Furthermore, the island has hosted three fruit tree distributions, providing over 300 trees – including avocado, mango, coffee, starfruit, and citrus – to households. With these initiatives, Saba is fostering a culture of small-scale farming, which can have a large impact on the island’s food security by reducing dependence on imports and increasing local access to fresh, healthy produce.
Animal Husbandry
Animal husbandry is deeply rooted in the culture and identity of the people of Saba.
To further promote this particular sector, as part of its animal husbandry project, the Public Entity has assisted livestock owners by subsidizing the shipping costs of animal feed and provided assistance with the materials needed to build pens for the responsible keeping of livestock.
While this sector is small, the Public Entity acknowledges its important in local food production and, therefore, aims to further develop it sustainably.
